Electron tube mounting apparatus



Dec. 15, 1970 w. M. HENNEssEY 3,548,364

I ELECTRON TUBE MOUNTING APPARATUS y Filed June 24, 1968 INVENTOR. William M. Hennessey B12/4M O O Q 7 w im d w m v d 1 Y mw w ATTORNEY United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 339-145 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is of an electron tube having a plurality of thin, liexible leads which carry insulating sleeves which extend along the greater portion of the length of each lead. An insulating plate is provided which has longitudinal apertures, into which the uncovered end of each lead is to be inserted. The leads extend through the plate, and a relatively short length extends from the opposite end. The plate includes, between its ends, transverse openings through which access may be had to each wire. By means of a suitable tool, each wire is bent so that a portion enters each transverse opening, and this portion acts as a lock which prevents the lead from being pulled out of the plate. The assembly is adapted to be inserted into a socket or printed circuit board by means of the relatively short lengths of the tlexible leads which extend from the lower end of the plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the present time, electron tubes such as gas-lled indicator tubes which include ten or twelve cathode electrodes and an anode electrode have a similar number of thin, flexible leads extending from the base of the tube which, in miniature tubes, may be of the order of 1/2 or less in diameter. It can be seen that, in a tube of this size, the leads are very closely spaced, and it can also be appreciated that inserting the leads of such a tube into a tube socket is not an easy matter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briey, the invention comprises an assembly of an electron tube having a plurality of lamentary leads, to which is coupled a rigid plate and from which a short length of each lead extends. The leads and plate are so coupled that the leads cannot be removed from the plate, and the assembly can be easily inserted into a tube socket by means of the insulating plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a tube and apparatus embodying the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED' EMBODIMENT 'Ihe apparatus of the invention 10 is adapted to permit insertion of a tube 20 having tilamentary leads into a tube socket or printed circuit fboard. A typical tube with which the invention may be practiced is a character display tube and includes an envelope 30 having a base or stem 40 and a dome 50 which carries tubulation 60. The tube 20 contains an electrode assembly (not shown), which ordinarily includes ten cathode character electrodes arranged in a stack, an anode electrode which surrounds the stack of cathodes, and at least two auxiliary character electrodes, usually decimal points. The stem 40 usually carries twelve or fourteen flexible wires or leads 70 (only three are 3,548,364 Patented Dec. 15, 1970 ice shown) which are connected to the various electrodes inside the tube and are to be inserted in a tube socket or printed circuit board or the like.

The apparatus 10 of the invention also includes an insulating plate which is generally rectangular and includes tapered longitudinal holes or slots which extend through the plate from a relatively large opening at the upper end to the lower end 110. One hole 90 is provided for each lead 70 in the tube 20. The plate also includes a plurality of holes or apertures which extend through the plate 80 transverse to holes 90.

In using the apparatus 10, an insulating sleeve is placed on each flexible lead 70, and each lead is threaded into one of the holes 90 in the plate 80. Each insulating sleeve extends between the upper end 100` of the plate 80 and the base 40 of the tube 20, and the lead itself is of sufcient length so that a portion 70 of its length, for example 1/2, extends from the lower end 110 of the plate. With the plate 80 thus positioned on the leads, a suitable tool is inserted into each of the transverse openings 120, and each lead 70 is bent so that a kink 140 is formed which extends laterally in a direction transverse to the major axis of the lead and into the opening 120 offset from hole 90. The kink essentially locks each lead 70 in place in the plate 80 and keeps it from being removed accidentally.

The assembly is now ready for mounting on a tube socket or printed circuit board 150, and this can be done easily by inserting the free ends 70 of the leads into suitable openings therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A tube mounting assembly comprising a tube including an envelope from which a plurality of thin, ilexible leads extend,

an insulating plate having a plurality of longitudinal apertures extending therethrough,

a transverse aperture extending through the plate, and

through each longitudinal aperture,

each lead of said tube being inserted into one end of a longitudinal aperture in said plate, extending through said aperture, and having an end portion extending out of its aperture and accessible outside said plate, and

a bend formed in each lead and positioned laterally of its longitudinal aperture and in its transverse aperture so that each lead is held securely in place in said plate and said plate can be manipulated to insert said leads outside said plate into apertures in a mounting member.

2. The tube delined in claim 1 wherein said insulating plate is coupled to said leads remote from said tube whereby a portion of each lead is exposed between said tube envelope and said insulating plate, said portion of each lead carrying a sleeve of insulating material.

3. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein each longitudinal aperture is tapered and has a relatively large opening to permit easy insertion of a lead.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,020,289 1 1/ 1935 Bullenger 339-220X 2,353,348 7/ 1944 McLaughlin 339-145 2,431,198 ll/1947 Posen 339- 2,650,353 8/1953 Lamb et a1 339-145 2,771,589 11/1956 Thomas 339-145 3,239,760' 3/1966 Schweitzer 339-192X RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 339-220 

